At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this, we invited Shaivi Modi for an exclusive interview with us. She is an Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of The Production House and BomBAE54. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, background, and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Shaivi:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I am a legacy entrepreneur. As far back as I can trace my lineage, almost everyone in my family has been an entrepreneur. So, I grew up watching my great grandparents, grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts & cousins all be passionately mad about what they do.
Dinner table conversations were always about how to read people; the situation & the market along with sharing dreams, ambitions, joys and challenges. I learnt, at a very early age, that there is no substitute for hard work and perseverance. And hence, when I started working at age 12, as a swimming, arts & crafts instructor at a summer camp for young kids, I saw to it that I worked harder than even the adults there.
I worked every summer holiday since I was 12. While studying at Mithibai College of Arts, I worked with an event management company after college hours; and while I studied at Kohinoor – IMI School of Hospitality Management, I tended a bar for almost 3 years.
Entering the workforce formally, with the J W Marriott Hotel, Mumbai, gave me a chance to improve my communication and interpersonal skills. Thereafter, I spent over a decade working in Learning & Development and travelled a great deal across Asia. I then diversified into fashion styling and with that, I started my first entrepreneurial venture.
Currently, I am the Founder & CEO of The Production House & bomBAE54. I also help run my family business of Sourcing, Buying & Exporting General Merchandise.
How did you discover your passion?
I have worked and travelled across the globe, now I know that there really isn’t just one passion. There can be a singular purpose to your life and career, however there cannot be a singular passion. And if I have already discovered all my passions, there would be nothing to look forward to.
So my purpose is to make life better for people, and with the help of my various passions – storytelling; entrepreneurship; my duty of service to my country; fashion; innovation; tech; and training; etc. – I work towards achieving that purpose everyday.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
I am yet to meet a person who hasn’t faced any challenges. So my biggest strength in the face of challenges is my mindset of resilience. It’s just about believing that, “I, and every single person on this planet, have faced situations worse and overcome them, so I will overcome this current challenge, as well. Just put one foot in front of the other, and you will find a way.”
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
1) The most important lesson I’ve lived with is that nothing is more important or of a higher priority than the people who love you and who you love.
2) No one will believe in you if you don’t believe in you. Believe in yourself with delusional confidence.
3) If you want to build a world that no one has seen before, you will have to do things differently. This is the only way to bring about a change.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
Success is a myth for people driven by purpose. Purpose only ends with life, and if you’ve lived your purpose well, it lives on in the people you leave behind or in the work you’ve done. So, there’s no key to success. There is only an overwhelming drive to live your purpose.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Let me share with you the best advice I was given as a child, live your life with intention and purpose, everything and everyone else will fall in place. You will figure out every skill, every connection and every action that is needed to achieve your purpose.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
I have the privilege of being able to make an impact on people’s minds – through stories; through fashion; through innovation; through training; and through my actions every day.
My biggest joy is when I see someone impacted by me, empower someone else. For me, that is how a better world will be built – when privileged and empowered individuals empower others.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
